West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-18
ABOUT NATURAL GAS.
Interesting Remarks Of Cold Short The
LaBelle Venture.


LaBelle Venture.
"Cold Short" in st. Louis Age Of Steel.
Fifty odd years ago the salt max
ers of the Kanawha Valley, w. Va,
were annoyed by the presence of gas.
Failing in attempts to shut it of
they at last used it for squirting the
salt water out from the well and as
fuel under the evaporating pans.
This supply never failed to give sat
isfaction as long as the salt wells
were operated. For over thirty years
carbon black has been made in the
neighborhood of New C Cumberland, w.
Va, from the deposit Of this gas. And
what is singular in this instance is,
that for years this process was car
ried on by a company on capital
of $4,000 and a regular profit of %
per cent. dividend, and within a
stones throw of this factory fire
brick establishments were paying
for cord wood to burn their brick,
never suspecting that this natural
fuel could be utilized. Fifty years
ago natural gas was utilized for
heating and Illuminating purposes
in Port Jervis, N. T., and the sup
ply has continued up to this time
without sensible diminution. Wells
in Western Virginia, Northern Penn
sylvania and Southern Ohio have
been giving forth gas for the past
fifteen years. This has been stead
lily utilized for at least ten years,
and the supply is as strong to-day as
when first used.
There are several wells in this val
lev, one near Pittsburgh, one near
Marietta Ohio, which, have been
flowing for the past ten years. These
are utilized and they are as prolific
sources of supply as when first used.
In Erie county, Pa. st. Mary's coll
lege has been supplied with gas by
one well for five years, heating their
large building perfectly and without
apparent irregulari.y or decrease OF
power. In the same locality
several large houses have been
lighted and heated for eleven years
by one we'll, and the grounds con
nected with them Have also been
lighted ny it, the jets never being
extinguished and the supply seems
| to be inexhaustible, or rather to be
generated as fast rs it is drawn off.
These instances will serve to assure
some doubling Thomases. One OF
the strongest evidences that the bur
den of sentiment is in favor Of its
permanency is that Eastern capital,
! which is not considered obtnse. or
neglectful in investing securities,
has been and is especially active in
making very heavy investments in
quest Of it and in making very
costly business of supplying it to
communities when found.
THE LA BELLE MILLS NEW PROCESS.
The La Belle Nail Company, of
Wheeling, are the first who have de-
cided that it is Il wholesome idea to
diverge from timeworn paths and
seek new and shorter route to the
goal. They have determined to
adopt the Lauth method an,l have
contracted for q new mill, which in
cludes the 24inch Lauth three high
plate train. The train will have two
| rapid-working steam liIts, one of
which will raise the billet from the
lower to the upper roll at the rate of
sixteen passes in thirty seconds.
| The other will raise the small mid
die roll at the same rate of speed,up
| and down against the upper and
lower rolls, as the billet passes cross
wise between the bottom and middle
and top and middle rolls alternately,
in being widened to the l3 inches to
which it is made, preliminary to the
three final passes lengthwise, which
is given to finish it. The top screw
of the housings will be operated by
power. Discussing this progressive
divergence on the part of the La Belle
brings up another movement they Gu
tered into lately, which has occasion
ed considerable comment, and is not
generally understood. Basing their
action on their change of method,
mentioned above. which neressitates
radical changes in machinery as well
as a radical reduction in cost Of pro-
duction, they entered into an agree
ment with their opeatives To pay
them the Amalgamated prices. They
have some thousands of tons OF steel
slabs and plate which can ncit'ierb he
profitably carried in sto''k nor dis
posed of, and as their new method
does away entirely with the use of
slabs ana pig prudent business meth
ods and good judgment counsel .hem
to work them up. They signe.l no
| scale, but merely made an agreement
with number of operatives. of
whom it might be remarked that
they were raised in the La Belle
mill, many of them the sons OF orig